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A seasonal shocker for the league leaders, who were outmuscled and
outmanouvered by the Lancashire side throughout the game, who belied their
position in the table to cope far better with a pudding of a pitch at
Queensgate and run out worthy winners.
Town ‘keeper Nick Tudor had to be on his toes as early as the 5th minute,
as
Bernard Morley sprinted clear and then from Steve Mainwaring’s follow-up
attempt. The seasiders then replied with Paul Wilson, finding the
still-green flanks a more likely source of profit, playing in Ben Eastwood,
whose low shot forced visitors ‘keeper Dave Felgate into a fine diving
stop.
From the resulting corner, Lee Harper arrowed a 12-yard header inches over
the bar.
Rossendale continued to look extremely lively on the break, and again Morley
brought a good block from Tudor on 20 minutes. However, Town went one
better on 28 minutes, as a Martin Thacker through ball reached Eastwood on
the angle of the 18-yard box. Letting the ball run on, and taking just one
touch, he then drove a vicious shot past Felgate into the far corner for a
fantastic finish, and his first goal in Town’s colours.
Town poured forward, and could have added a quick second, with a handball
on
the edge of the visitors’ box providing Thacker an ideal opportunity
to loft
in a free-kick onto the head of Harper, who bulleted his chance just wide.
Rossendale full-back Kyle Ingham then saved a certain goal on 35 minutes,
as
he somehow got his boot to an Eastwood shot inside the 6-yard area to divert
the ball over the bar.
Ominously, the visitors began to threaten strongly before half-time, and
in
the closing minutes sounded a wake-up call as Cunliffe rattled Tudor’s
post
with a cracker from the edge of the 18-yard box. Town however fatally put
the clock back to snooze and duly paid the price as Mainwaring slid in from
close range on 44 minutes to fire pat Tudor and put the seal on a fine move
that fully deserved the reward.
Town appeared to up the tempo after the break, and left-winger Paul Wilson
began to again find gaps in behind the visitors rearguard. He combined
brilliantly with Paul Palmer and Eastwood on 50 minutes with Palmer firing
his effort just over the bar with Felgate beaten. The wideman then found
space minutes later to crash in his own 20-yarder which sailed over Felgate
only to cannon off the bar.
Inexplicably, the visitors again began to dominate after Town had dominated
the early part of the half. Winger Euan Purcell saw his goalbound shot
scrambled off the line, and Mainwaring was unlucky not to register his
second with a close range shot that skimmed the bar.
Town boss Billy Heath made changes on the hour as Rossendale still looked
the more likely winners. Winger Chris Hyam made way for James Tomlinson,
who looked to bolster the centre of midfield. Shortly after, Ali Benson
made a welcome return from injury to replace Harper, who appeared to have
taken a knock.
Town looked to have gained some shape goind forward with the introduction
of
the substitutes, but again in the final minutes of the half, Rossendale
turned the screw for one last time with horrible consequences. Another
incisive move through the midfield released Cunliffe in side the Town box,
whose first time shot was blocked. The ball ran free to Adam Kuzlowski 12
yards out, who cracked the return ball back into the far corner.
Teams:-
Brid Town. Tudor, Giblin, Ramsay, Baker, Harper, Heath, Hyam, Thacker,
Eastwood. Palmer, Wilson.
Subs. Tomlinson, Benson, Fyvie.
Rossendale:-
Felgate, Raywood, Ingham, Kuzlowski, Robertson, Clarke, Mackay, Purcell,
Cunliffe, Morley. Mainwaring.
Subs. Rispin, Tullock, Rimshaw